JUDGMENT

Dr. ANAND, J.:- The controversy before us revolves around the valuation of 173 items of jewellery belonging to the erstwhile Nizam of Hyderabad and held by the two Jewellery Trusts created by the Nizam. The controversy reached this Court through Writ Petn. No. 1429/79 filed by Prince Muffakam Jah and others. The circumstances under which the writ petition came to be filed need notice.

2. In July, 1972 a memorial was submitted on behalf of the Jewellery Trusts of the Nizam to the then Prime Minister of India requesting her to consider the purchase of the entire jewellery of the Nizam by the Union of India so that the jewellery could be retained in India and its value distributed to various beneficiaries under the Trusts and to discharge other liabilities of the Trusts. In August, 1973, the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare. Government of India set up an Expert Committee to assess and evaluate the items of jewellery which could be taken over by the Union of India, keeping in view the provisions of Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 (hereinafter the Antiquities Act). The Expert Committee inspected the jewellery in the presence of the Deputy Secretary, Ministry of E